Merry Christmas!

Hello you lovely lot! Would like to take this opportunity to wish all of you a Merry Christmas, may your day be filled with food and booze!

So tomorrow is a massive day of football, Can Leicester continue their sensational form and push for an incredible title push? Will LVG still be in a job after Man United's trip to Stoke? All in I know is, it is going to be a cracking day of football.


Stoke 2 - 1 Man United - This is a must win for United, no win in 6 games, playing poorly and a manager who is losing the plot. I really see the Dutchman losing his job if they do not pick up a result in this one and the way United are playing at the moment, I wouldn't be backing them. Stoke have already beaten City and Chelsea this season and will feel fairly confident on another win here.


Bournemouth 2 - 2 Crystal Palace - I see this one being a goal fest, both sides play attacking football and I think this one will be a cracker. Bournemouth are on quite a run of form after 3 wins on the bounce and will fear nobody. Palace are much better away from home than they are away due to the pace in the side so they can hit teams on the break. A real Christmas treat with plenty of goals.



Chelsea 2 - 1 Watford - I haven't said much about the sacking of Jose but I think the players were an absolute disgrace, doesn't matter if you don't like the manager, you should play for the badge and the fans who pay to watch you. Chelsea will just about edge this one but Watford were supreme against Liverpool and will create chances. A part of me wants The Hornets to get a result and prove how bad Chelsea are.


Liverpool 1 - 2 Leicester - Why can't The Foxes go all the way and win the league? They are a joy to watch and I think they will get the points at Anfield. Liverpool were truly woeful against Watford and were lucky it wasn't more than the three. They seem to do well against the big sides but run out of ideas when it comes to the teams they should be beating. The Foxes will cause havoc against a very shaky defence without Martin Skirtel.


Tottenham 3 - 1 Norwich - The Canaries were superb at Old Trafford and should have won even more comfortable but I can't see them getting a result here. Spurs are in good form and they are looking like a top four side but it is a funny season as Newcastle stunned Spurs a few weeks ago.


Southampton 1 - 3 Arsenal - Arsenal are in great form and were brilliant on Monday against City and the way Mesut Ozil is playing at the moment is just incredible. The boy is just world class, also Oliver Giroud cannot stop scoring goals and I fancy him to continue his goal scoring form.



Well guys that is it for now, hope you all have a great day! Merry Christmas x

Predictions!!

Hello people! It's that time of the week again where I wrongly predict the scores from the 6 Premier League games.



Crystal Palace 2 - 0 Southampton - I really enjoy watching Palace play, they have lots of pace and goals in them. I thought they played very well last Monday at Everton and could have grabbed all the three points. Southampton are on a real bad run at the moment and somehow couldn't beat Villa last week when for the majority of the game, they were well on top. I think Palace will win this one quite comfortably and pile more misery on Koeman's side.


Bournemouth 1 - 1 Man United - A few years ago I would have predicted an easy win for United but now I really don't see how United will be The Cherries. United looked better against Wolfsburg but still look a poor side in my opinion. Bournemouth will fear nobody after their stunning win at Chelsea where they deserved the points and I think they will cause United problems. Louis Van Gaal's side are in an injury crisis at the moment but I think this game has a draw written all over it.


West Ham 1 - 2 Stoke - The Hammers got a very good point at Old Trafford last week and with their injury list it was a very good performance but they are a funny side who seem to play well against the bigger sides and struggle when they play the teams around them. Stoke were phenomenal last week and played Man City off the park. This is going to be a tight one but I think Stoke will grab the points.


Aston Villa 1 - 3 Arsenal - Arsenal were supreme in midweek and Oliver Giroud was even better than that. If Arsenal would have gone out the Champions League then this one could have been a potential banana skin but I just can't see anything other than an away win here. Villa somehow grabbed a point last week but they are in massive trouble in my opinion. A routine win for The Gunners and I am backing Giroud to continue his fine goal scoring form.


Tottenham 2 - 0 Newcastle - Tottenham are in very good form and with everyone else seeming to not want to win the league, if they carry on then they are in with a shout. Newcastle got a very much needed win last time out and played some good football but I can only see one result here and that is a home win.


Leicester 2 - 1 Chelsea - Make no mistake about it, that win over Porto in midweek papered over the cracks, Chelsea were awful against Bournemouth and something isn't right. I don't think Leicester will fear anyone at the moment. The Foxes are just brilliant this season and although I don't think they will win the league, there is no reason why they won't be in the top four in May.



That's all for now! Have a good one!   

Bits and Bobs!

Hello people and welcome to a midweek Strike! Coming up, going to be talking about the shock appointment of Gary Neville to Valencia and the possibility of him maybe managing England one day, Man United's boring football and being knocked out of the Champions League. Also a look at Arsenal's big game in Greece where they have to win by 2 clear goals or a result of 3-2.


Gary Neville to Valencia

I was pretty shocked to hear about Gary Neville being appointed the manager of Spanish outfit, Valencia but I think he has all the qualities to be a success and maybe replace Roy Hodgson as England manager. I really enjoyed Neville's punditry on Sky Sports because the way he explained certain things was pretty fascinating and I found myself agreeing with him on most things. I think he will make a very good manager because if a player isn't putting in a shift then I don't see Neville turning a blind eye. There is no doubt it is a slight gamble to appoint a manager with no real managerial experience but he has a great footballing mind and it is going to be really interesting to see how he gets on and he could actually get further in the Champions League this year than Louis Van Gaal.


Manchester United

Everyone who follows this blog will know how unimpressed I have been with Man United so far this season and last night just summed up how poor they are and how inept their manager is. Louis Van Gaal has spent an absolute fortune in his 18 months and to be honest, I haven't seen much improvement. There are probably three players who I would say are genuine class and they are David De Gea, who keeps United in games on his own and without him they would be midtable and next summer I think they will lose him. Chris Smalling has come on leaps and bounds and is probably the best English centre back at the moment and the other is Anthony Martial, who is still only 20 years old and I think he will be a top player in a few years. The reason I say Louis Van Gaal is inept is because the players he has let go are better than the players he has bought in. Danny Welbeck, Javier Hernandez, Robin Van Persie, Adnan Januzaj, Nani and Angel Di Maria would all do a job for United and probably a better one than the current players. Look at Memphis Depay, good going forward at times but he is the most frustrating player I have ever watched. The amount of times he gives the ball away is unforgivable. Louis Van Gaal should be under massive pressure and last season a top four place was good enough to stabilize the team. This season there are no excuses, this is his squad, his money and I really think that he has to win something this year.


Arsenal's big night

Tonight is a massive game for The Arsenal, I think they can do it but they only have themselves to blame if they don't qualify because results haven't been good enough. As an Arsenal fan, I want us to win every possible game and to be honest if we do end up going into the Europa League then I would want to win it. Every other European Country seems to take it seriously but we seem to turn up our noses at it. It is a trophy end of the day, maybe not quite as glamorous as the Champions League but if you don't want to win a trophy then you should be questioning yourself. There is no doubt that Arsenal will miss Sanchez and Cazorla but the return of Theo Walcott could be a key factor. His pace and recent form could fire the Gunners into the knockout stages. The first goal is key, like Monaco last year when Arsenal scored the French side just gave up and were holding on. I am going for an Arsenal 3 - 0 win tonight. Aaron Ramsey will get on the score sheet as well.



Well that's all for now and I will be back tomorrow for a look back on tonight's action where Chelsea also need a win to guarantee qualification because it would be such a shame to see Jose go out.

Cheers!    

New Week, Different predictions!

Hello you lovely lot! Welcome to another Strike! You know the drill by now, going to pick the top games of the weekend and give my predictions which will probably be wrong as always!



Stoke 2 - 2 Man City - I can see a lot of goals in this one, both sides eased into the Semi Finals of the Capital One Cup in the week. Stoke will want to bounce back after their defeat last week to Sunderland and I think the home fans will demand a response but Ryan Shawcross being suspended will be a huge blow. Man City are back to winning ways after a slightly wobbly couple of weeks but another injury to Sergio Aguero is not a good sign. Not a game a for defending with lots of goals.


Arsenal 2 - 0 Sunderland - This is a must win for The Gunners, they have been below par over the past couple of weeks and have dropped silly points but I do expect them to bounce back against a Sunderland who have been in good form recently after an absolute torrid start to the season. How many more players will get injured for Arsene Wenger? I don't think this is just down to bad luck, something isn't right at the club but I do think with home advantage, The Arsenal will get the points.


Manchester United 1 - 1 West Ham - I really don't know how Man Utd are up near the top of the table, they were terrible last weekend and somehow got a draw. This isn't the United that I know, the boring football, lack of pace and creativity and it is down to one man....the manager. I really can see this game being a draw because there isn't a thing to fear about going to Old Trafford anymore and West Ham play some good football so it is a draw for me.


West Brom 1 - 3 Tottenham - After a dismal game against Chelsea last weekend, I think Spurs will get back to winning ways here. Harry Kane will definitely grab a goal here. Spurs do play some good football and I think it will be to much for The Baggies.


Chelsea 2 - 0 Bournemouth - I would love it, if The Cherries got a result but sadly but I can see Chelsea being a bit too strong. There are still problems at the Bridge and the behaviour of Diego Costa is something that is a problem. If he was scoring goals and playing well then you could understand his frustration but at the moment it looks like he couldn't score in a brothel, never mind on a pitch.


Newcastle 0 - 5 Liverpool - This is the banker of the weekend, if Newcastle defend anything like they have been then this could end up double figures. They were utterly dreadful last weekend against a very good Palace side but surely they cannot play any worse? Liverpool look good away from home and I don't see them having a problem here.


Cheers for reading! I will be back!